Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 28, 2026 (v2 — added data protection, retention, and security sections)

This privacy policy explains what data Paw Pulses ("we", "our", "Paw Pulses") collects when you use pawpulses.com, our Etsy shop (PawPulses), our Pinterest account (@pawpulsesco), and any of our other digital touch points. It also explains how we use that data and the choices you have.

Paw Pulses is a small, single-operator content brand. We collect as little data as we can and we never sell what we have.

What we collect

If you sign up for our newsletter or download a free resource that requires an email, we store your email address through Ghost's built-in member system. We use it solely to send you the newsletter and the resource you signed up for. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in the footer of every email.

Anonymous usage analytics

Our website uses standard server logs (IP address, user agent, page requested, timestamp) for basic site-health monitoring and to spot bot abuse. We do not run third-party tracking pixels (no Google Analytics, no Facebook Pixel, no Hotjar) on pawpulses.com.

Affiliate-tracking cookies (from third parties)

Some of the product links on our site are affiliate links. When you click one, the destination merchant (e.g., Amazon, Awin, Impact.com partner networks) may set a cookie on your browser so that, if you buy from them within their attribution window, we receive a small commission. We do not receive any personally identifying information about you from these cookies — only an aggregated "this click converted" signal. The merchant's own privacy policy governs the cookie they set; we link to their site, not ours.

What we DON'T collect

We do not collect names, addresses, or payment info on pawpulses.com. All purchases happen on Etsy, and Etsy's own privacy policy governs that data.
We do not run third-party advertising tracking on our own pages.
We do not sell, rent, or share email addresses with any third party for marketing purposes.

How we use the data

Email addresses: send the newsletter and free resources you signed up for. That's it.
Server logs: troubleshoot site issues, prevent abuse.
Affiliate-cookie commissions: pay the bills that keep Paw Pulses running.

Third-party services that touch your data

Ghost (ghost.org) — hosts pawpulses.com and stores the member email list. Ghost's privacy policy.
Etsy — handles all purchases of our digital downloads. Etsy's privacy policy.
Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram — if you follow us on social platforms, those platforms govern that interaction. We don't get extra data about you from following us.
Affiliate networks (Amazon Associates, Awin, Impact) — set their own attribution cookies when you click affiliate links from our site. Their privacy policies govern those cookies.

How we protect your data

Storage + encryption

All member email data is stored by Ghost (ghost.org), our content management platform, on their managed infrastructure. Ghost stores member data encrypted at rest (AES-256) and serves all traffic over TLS 1.2+ (HTTPS). Our site (pawpulses.com) is served exclusively over HTTPS with HSTS enabled — there is no plaintext HTTP access point.

Access controls

Paw Pulses is operated by a single person (Josh Fink). Only that one operator has admin access to the Ghost member list and the underlying server. Access requires multi-factor authentication. We do not employ contractors, agencies, or staff who have visibility into the member email list.

What happens if there's a breach

In the unlikely event of a confirmed data breach affecting member email addresses, we will: (1) email all affected members within 72 hours of confirmation, (2) describe what data was exposed and what we are doing about it, and (3) report to relevant authorities as required by applicable law (GDPR Article 33 for EU members, equivalent US state laws). Because we do not collect names, addresses, or payment info, the maximum exposure is your email address.

Third-party security

The third-party services we depend on (Ghost, Etsy, affiliate networks) each maintain their own security programs. We do not transmit your email or behavior data to any third party for marketing or analytics purposes — the only data flow is the email you give us, stored on Ghost.

Data retention

How long we keep each category of data:

Newsletter email addresses — retained for as long as you remain subscribed. If you unsubscribe, your email is removed from active sending within 24 hours and fully deleted from our member database within 30 days. If you have been inactive (no opens, no clicks) for 24 consecutive months, we automatically remove your email from our list and notify you 14 days before deletion so you can re-confirm if you'd like to stay.
Server logs — Ghost's standard server logs (IP, user agent, request path, timestamp) are retained for 30 days for site-health and abuse-detection purposes, then automatically purged.
Affiliate-cookie data — set and managed by the destination merchant (Amazon, Awin, Impact, etc.), not by us. Their cookies typically expire within 24 hours to 30 days depending on the merchant. We never see personally identifying information from these cookies — only aggregated "this click resulted in a sale" reports.
Email correspondence — if you email us at hello@pawpulses.com, we keep that thread for as long as needed to resolve your question (typically 90 days), then archive or delete it. We do not add anyone to the newsletter list based on an email exchange.

You can request earlier deletion of any data we hold on you at any time by emailing hello@pawpulses.com. We will confirm deletion within 30 days.

Your rights

You can:

Unsubscribe from emails anytime via the link in the email footer, or by emailing us.
Request a copy of any data we have on you (basically: your email address, if you're subscribed).
Request deletion of your data. We'll remove your email from our member list within 30 days.
Decline affiliate cookies by using your browser's privacy controls or an ad-blocker. Our site works fine without them.

Children

Paw Pulses publishes content for adult pet parents. We do not knowingly collect any data from anyone under 13. If you believe a child has signed up for our newsletter, please email us and we'll remove the account.

Changes to this policy

If we change how we collect or use data, we'll update this page and bump the "Last updated" date at the top. Material changes (anything that affects what data is collected or how it's used) will also be announced in the next newsletter sent after the change.

Contact

Questions or requests about your data: hello@pawpulses.com

Postal: Paw Pulses, c/o the website operator, United States.

This policy is written in plain English on purpose. If you'd like a more formal version for legal/business records, email us and we'll send it.